ABC Upfront: Fall 2006

[Pavan]

How can there be reviews of Brothers and Sisters? ABC has not sent any screeners yet for the show. What people are talking about is the pilot that was shot earlier in the year, which is WAY different than the current pilot. I hope to get the pilot from ABC very soon.

[Raisingdad2004]

hmm, well maybe it is less dark/depressing but with a showrunner gone it doesn't look good.

The dark and depressing tone of the show hardly matches it with Desperate Housewives.

[Pavan]

Originally Posted by Raisingdad2004

http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/08/09/tr...s-and-sisters/

Problems on the set of Brothers and Sisters, showrunner down - can anybody say Commander in Chief?

Difference is it is not during the season. Plus the executive producer wasn't the creator of the show like Rod Lurie was.

[Raisingdad2004]

Originally Posted by pavanbadal

Difference is it is not during the season. Plus the executive producer wasn't the creator of the show like Rod Lurie was.

But still, with episodes scheduled and episodes to be made, its got to have some effect. Just because nothing has aired yet doesn't mean they don't have to have [x] episodes shot before [y] and that this will cause some delay. Maybe they won't be able to air the show without reruns until Christmas because of a backlog?

Switching showrunner, an integral part of the show, can never be easy.

[Brent88]

The fact that they had to make drastic changes to the pilot isn't good either... and 6 weeks before the season starts, it's still not avaliable for screening? No buzz + against an established hit + Football= Quick death. Plus no one's watching ABC this summer to see the promos anyway.

[Pavan]

Until the pilot is screened, I can't really judge these changes. All hoopla trying to get a show canceled before it even airs. With the star cast it has, that alone, plus Desperate Housewives as its lead-in, the show could still do decent numbers. Ally fans will be watching I'm sure.
I don't think the quality of the episodes for Chief was the problem. Sure, Bocho made it more political, but I still saw the family fare in it. I think the big gap of repeats was the problem. I think it is better to have problems now then during the actual season when you can't replace it quick. If ABC is having production problems with the show, they can move another show, say Men in Trees, in its spot. But during the season that would be disastrous.

As for the promos, they have other ways to promote the show. Print, billboards, other Disney related channels (ESPN (though that wouldn't fit), ABC Family, SoapNet, and even Lifetime). Plus ABC Daytime has seen tons of promos for this show, Ugly Betty, Men in Trees and Six Degrees...as all are sort of soapy. ABC really started the creative promotions with the Lost bottles and DH laundry bags.

I just hope Secrets of a Small Town does get picked up for midseason. The pilot was awesome. I would air it Mondays at 9, with a preview episode after DH to get it started.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by pavanbadal

I just hope Secrets of a Small Town does get picked up for midseason. The pilot was awesome. I would air it Mondays at 9, with a preview episode after DH to get it started.

I really hope so too...

[troopoleon8897]

Originally Posted by pavanbadal

I just hope Secrets of a Small Town does get picked up for midseason. The pilot was awesome. I would air it Mondays at 9, with a preview episode after DH to get it started.

I think if B&S gets decent ratings move that to befor WAB? as they are both more drama ish shows and put SoaST after DH as they are both more soapish... plus only one airing after DH wouldn't help it as much as half a season after DH would for B&S seeing as mondays at 9:00 midseason is where all the comp is (24, Heroes, & TaaHM)

[Pavan]

***SERIES PREMIERE DATE CHANGE***



NEW PREMIERE DATE ANNOUNCED FOR FUN AND SEXY ENSEMBLE

DRAMA ON ABC, “MEN IN TREES”



Series to Get Special Preview Tuesday, September 12

Before Settling in on Friday Night





“MEN IN TREES,” the new fun and sexy ensemble drama series about a famous thirtysomething self-help/dating guru whose quest for love and happiness takes her to a small town in Alaska, will get a special preview of the pilot episode, airing TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET), following the season premiere of “Dancing with the Stars,” on the ABC Television Network. The series will premiere in its regular time slot, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET), following a replay of the pilot episode (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET).



“MEN IN TREES” had originally been scheduled to premiere on Friday, Sept. 22.




“A good man in today’s world isn’t as difficult as some women think. You just have to watch out for the signs. You wouldn’t drive with a blindfold on, but for some reason, women continue to date with one.” So native New Yorker Marin advises a crowd of her devoted fans. Marin thinks she has found her good man, her fiancé Graham, when she discovers, bound for a speaking engagement in Elmo, Alaska, that he has been cheating on her. Plans for the wedding come to a screeching halt. Coming to the conclusion that she doesn’t know anything about men, Marin resolves to stay temporarily in Elmo, where the ratio of women to men is ten to one, and get started on her new book – about men.



“MEN IN TREES” stars Anne Heche as Marin Frist, Abraham Benrubi as Ben, Emily Bergl as Annie, Seana Kofoed as Jane, Suleka Mathew as Sara, Derek Richardson as Patrick, Sarah Strange as Theresa, James Tupper as Jack and John Amos as Buzz.



“MEN IN TREES” was created by Jenny Bicks (“Sex and the City”). Bicks, James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) and Cathy Konrad are executive producers. The series is filmed in Vancouver, Canada and is from Tree Line Films, Perkins Street Productions and NS Pictures, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

[Pavan]

There will be a one minute promo debuting during Grey's Anatomy this Thursday at 9pm for MEN IN TREES. Look for it early on in the first half hour or so.

[Mr. Monitor]

Not a big ABC fan but I'll check out Day Break.

[Brent88]

Originally Posted by pavanbadal

There will be a one minute promo debuting during Grey's Anatomy this Thursday at 9pm for MEN IN TREES. Look for it early on in the first half hour or so.

ABC has the best promos... the DH one with all the women doing things related to their character is just so unbelievably awesome and the one I saw Friday Night with Betty/Grey's/Six Degrees was great too.

[Buffyboy323]

Is LOST @ 8 or 9? I heard they were bringing it back to their original timeslot.

[Pavan]

Yeah, that DH one was awesome. I also liked the ABC "LOL" commercial that aired tonight featuring Betty, Knights of Prosperity and Help Me Help You (see that again tomorrow during the 8:30 George Lopez)! I saw the Thursday one you mentioned Brent, liked it too. Also, saw a music video type promo for GA.

Lost is Wednesdays at 9 starting October 4.

[Pavan]

ABC has added two fall preview specials for primetime now for air 9-10pm on Wednesday, September 13. First half hour showcases the dramas and the second half hour showcases the sitcoms and reality series:
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/20...o-tbs-and.html